S-N-O-W and 'just chillin' cards

I haven't posted for a few days now ... well today I'm making up for it.  It's been a busy week.  I have done some more Christmas shopping, baking, etc. and spent time with good friends.  I also have been feeling under the weather with a cold that just hit me full-force on Friday.  Where did that come from??  I took it easy for a couple of days and am feeling better today.   I haven't been up to being in the art studio much the past few days and I went through withdrawal :)  So happy to be back in here having fun!

On to today's cards ... 

 

A while ago, I saw this really cute image at Bugaboo Digital stamps and so I went back and purchased it on-line a couple of days ago.  I love their images - they are all so adorable!  This is my first card for this week's CAS Challenge at Splitcoaststampers (CAS148) - Word Inspiration:  Chill out!  Hope you like.

"S-N-O-W"

Stamps:  Snow (Bugaboo Digi stamps)

Paper:  Whisper White, Pacific Point (SU!); snowflake DP (unknown)

Ink:  Basic Gray, Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Pirouette (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  clear glitter glue, small paint brush, Sizzix polka-dot embossing folder, Big Shot, Tombow glue, adhesives and dimensionals

* * * * *

I printed the image onto Whisper White cardstock and then printed it a second time onto the snowflake DP.  I cut out the "S, N and W" from the DP and glued them onto my main image.

I colored in the snowman's hat, nose and cheeks using Stampin' Write markers.  Using a paint brush, I added glitter glue to the snowballs and the snow covering the letters and snowmen (it's hard to see in the photo).  Once the glitter glue was dry I cut the image out.

I ran a piece of Whisper White cardstock through my Big Shot with the polka-dot embossing folder.  I cut the embossed cardstock to 2 1/2" x 4 1/4" and added a frame of Pacific Point (2 3/4" x 4 1/2").  I mounted the embossed, framed cardstock onto a card front of Whisper White and then mounted the whole thing onto a card base of Pacific Point.

I mounted the main image onto the polka-dot background, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.

____________________

Here's a second card for this week's Clean and Simple challenge at SCS (CAS148) - Chill out!  I just got my latest SU! order and this time I purchased the stamp set "Every Little Bit".  It has 28 adorable, small images that I know I'll be using A LOT!  Today I used the cute penguin.  This card is made with all SU! products plus a computer-generated sentiment ---"just chillin" and on the inside it says "and wishing you the coolest birthday ever!".  Hope you like.

"just chillin"

Stamps:  Every Little Bit (SU!); computer generated sentiment

Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  Basic Black, Baja Breeze, VersaMark Pen (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  post-it notes for masking, ice embossing powder, heat tool, crystal effects, pencil, ruler, eraser, and adhesives

* * * * *

I printed the sentiment from my computer onto Whisper White cardstock.  I used a pencil and ruler to draw a 2" box, centered on the card front (side to side) and placed so the bottom line is in the middle of the sentiment.  I used my Black Stampin' Write marker to draw along the lines of the box, free-hand, making sure to have the lines a little wiggly.  I erased the pencil marks.

I inked the stamp with my Black Stampin' Write marker and stamped the penguin inside the box (just off center).  I stamped the penguin a second time onto a post-it note and cut it out and placed it over top of my main image to protect the penguin as I will be sponging on top.  I cut a post-it note to make a mask for the snow hill and placed it just below the penguin so that his feet touched it.  I used my Black Stampin' Write marker to outline the curve of the hill.

I drew a line of icicles onto another post-it note in pencil and cut them out.  I used it to mask the top of the square and then outlined the icicles with the thin tip of the Black Stampin' Write marker.

 I used more post-it notes to mask off all the sides of the box.  I then sponged Baja Breeze ink inside the box.  I removed all the masks.

I used a VersaMark pen to draw a line of clear ink along the top of the snow hill and then used ice embossing powder and a heat tool to set it (it's hard to see in the photo, but it adds a lot to the card).

I used Crystal Effect to fill in the icicles (also hard to see in the photo, but it adds gloss and dimension to the icicles).

After it was all dry I mounted the front panel onto a card base of Basic Black.

____________________

Last night we had dinner at our friends' Cindy & Chris.  Chris just finished renovating their kitchen and he did an incredible job!!  It is the most beautiful kitchen that I've ever been in!  He also is a fabulous cook and made Gord and I a wonderful dinner (Smoked Salmon and cream cheese Quesadillas, Chicken Parmesan, Mushroom Risotto and roasted veggies).  Cindy made a delicious Caesar salad and dessert - Brownies with a layer of Aero chocolate bars in the middle - AWESOME!  Thanks to you both for having us over.  We had so much fun hanging out with you (as we always do!).  Oh, and the Canucks beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 ... Go Canucks Go!

Friday night we had our friends, Karen and Hans, over for dinner.  We've been friends for many years and it's always great to spend time with them.  Karen is a chef, so it's wonderful when we can find some time to get together as her schedule is always so busy.  I don't know where she's gets all her energy!!

Karen brought an appetizer for us that she wanted to try out for an upcoming dinner party she's catering ... Puff Pastry cups filled with caramelized onions and topped with smoked Gruyere cheese ... so delicious!!  She also brought a bottle of Tasmanian Pinot Noir that her and Hans picked up earlier this year when they were on vacation "down under".  The wine was perfect for the easy, casual dinner that I made (Sweet & Sour meatballs, Basmati rice and Roasted Veggies, Gingerbread cake with Caramel Sauce and Coconut Sorbet).  Karen tries to avoid dairy as much as possible, so I thought I'd try making the sorbet rather than serving ice cream.  Plus it's great to have dairy-free recipes because there are so many people that have problems digesting dairy.  The sorbet was delicious with my Gingerbread cake (which I served warm), drizzled with caramel sauce.  I'm including the recipe in the baking section of the website.

Gingerbread cake